It's no wonder they call this city Belo Horizonte or Beautiful Horizon. Those stories that you shared with me are super cool! I loved them! And by the way I will try to work on my grammar and other things but it is super hard down here because the computers and the keyboards are different. That is cool to hear about Chris developing his own testimony, I wish I could have heard it! I really liked the stories you shared about listening. Because right now that's all I can really do... The language is super hard to speak and understand so right now I just listen. For example, we visited Geralda this week to see how she was doing, and she started to cry because she was having a hard time with losing some of her children because of death. We taught her again about the plan of salvation and it was cool to tell her that I have brothers and sisters in heaven right now who are helping me on earth and preparing for the second coming also. It was a really cool experience.
The boy who baptized Geralda is named Robson and he is 28, he wants to serve a mission soon and he didn't take out the earrings for the service haha, actually it is weird, they don't teach things like that here until way after baptism. It gradually is taught.
The ward here is called Gutierrez ward and the members call me Elder Da Best haha.
This week was a really slow week and really hard for me too. The language really tests me sometimes and its difficult to understand. I was on my knees a lot this week, Prayer is so important and I am so grateful that we have prayer. It is truly the only way we can communicate with our Heavenly Father.
Every Wednesday and Thursday we have splits with other missionaries. Wednesday I had splits with Elder Coutinho, my roommate in our apartment, and then Thursday I had splits with Elder Bonner, the zone leader for our zone. I really liked Thursday with Elder Bonner. He taught me so many things and he also gave me criticism which was helpful. That thursday night we taught the Restoration to these two young men who were both Catholic and it was amazing to see the spirit the Restoration brings in. Elder Bonner explained it so well too, he explained it so well that they had no counter arguments and were willing to pray about it. I was able to talk about Prophets and the Book of Mormon. He also gave me a small Bible that is very useful to me now. Here it is important to use the Bible and the Book of Mormon when you teach. Because so many people don´t believe in other books from our heavenly father. Sometimes we take for granted the Book of Mormon, it is so amazing and I want to read it so much because it makes me so happy and I learn something new every time I read it. I watched How Rare a Possession saturday night and it made me cherish the opportunity we have to read the Book of Mormon so much more. A lot of the people here dont like to be talked to when soccer is on, so it is hard to teach during those times ha. We havent had actual lessons yet, like the lessons on commandments or ordinances, because we are trying to find new people to teach. It is hard too for me this week because I just watch Elder Dedeco explain things and then bear testimony of it, he hasn't started to actually train me yet. So that makes it hard. But I am starting to learn patience and i try to stay positive in all moments. I get to share a message at all the lunches with members so its pretty good. I also got to play a little bit of soccer this week and talk to kids about soccer, it was super cool
I love learning about my Savior too, last night I was having a hard time with the fact that we didn't have very many lessons just visiting non active members and so I decided to read in Jesus the Christ and how it says that there was and is an absolute need for the Atonement and for our Savior Jesus Christ. We all need our Savior and we all need to use the atonement to be forgiven of our sins. It made me want to repent of small things that weren't very important but bothered my heart and were in my mind. Like for example, if I told my mom I had eaten my vegetables when I actually didn't. Lying is breaking the ninth commandment, even if it is small, so I decided to repent of those things. We can use the Atonement for everything. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to tell people that Jesus Christ lives, and we all can return to live with him and our Heavenly Father one day.
Something funny that happened this week: We were walking past a bar and this short old man stopped me and he looked kind of like Papa Smurf, except he wasn't blue ha and he was talking to me so close. And he was definitely drunk and he just kept spitting on me and all I could do was smile and listen haha. And then he asked me who I was and I told him and he said "Oh, I guess you don't want a drink or something to smoke then..." in portugues. It was funny because i said no and he offered us to come inside and we said "How about we teach you next week instead?" And he ran off. It was funny because he didn't know who we were until we told him. People in Brazil really like to party, and so we have to be careful on the nights they have parties ha. Well I love you all so much!! Thank you all for your examples and for helping me before my mission. I have faith the lord will help me with my portugues and my mission.
Thanks for the emails everyone! I love you so much! I miss you all and its been hard for me these couple of weeks, I have thought about home a lot because I dont know the language yet and its hard for me to focus, but its getting better. I just need to learn patience. I will definitely keep all of you in my prayers! Love you all.
Elder Bestenlehner
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